Sometimes I forget that some people don’t know the full impact that black women had on rock n roll. If you didn’t know it was epic. Without the talent and energy of many wonderful women the state of music today would be blander than Cliff Richard eating a cucumber sandwich.

So, I just realized that Bo Diddley actually had two different female guitarists in his band. Peggy Jones (Lady Bo) who has been featured on this blog, and Norma-Jean Wofford, who replaced Lady Bo until Lady Bo returned to the band in 1970.

The two often get tagged as one another, even to the point that a Google search for Norma-Jean returns images of Lady Bo, which really sucks besides making things confusing.

@blackwomeninrock This is so weird. Lady Bo was my full blooded Aunt. This post above might make a powerful picture for my own personal photo album. This year I hope my Aunt begins to get the recognition she deserved from the media. The Grammys and Oscars’ “In Memoriam” mentions would make a good start. Cheers..

In complete agree with you! Black female rock artists in particular are often not given the recognition that they deserve, and this definitely needs to change.

Peggy Jones, later known as Lady Bo, was an innovative and expressive
guitarist who was an original part of Bo Diddley’s sound from 1957 to
1962 and influential in her own songwriting and musical endeavors
thereafter.

Although there is no obituary currently published, a few
hours ago today, Ponderosa Stomp Foundation—an
annual music festival taking place in New Orleans, LA—who hosted Lady
Bo in 2011 announced her death.

A few days prior, husband and bass
player Wally Malone wrote on his Facebook page, “Today is one of the
saddest days of my life. My wife and partner of 47 Years has been called
up to that great rock & roll band in the heavens to be reunited
with Bo Diddley, Jerome Green and Clifton James”.

Peggy Jones played a
pivotal role in rock and roll and remained a main source of inspiration
for hundreds of musicians to follow. Her immense dedication, passion and
talent will forever be remembered and influential in the history of
music.

One of the sides she wrote and recorded, the 1961 instrumental “Aztec,” actually became a hit in Europe two years after the fact (though it was Jones’ track, the record company mistakenly credited Bo Diddley as the performer). -AllMusic.Com

Peggy “Lady Bo” Jones One of the first female lead guitarists in rock & roll, Peggy Jones is most notable for her work in Bo Diddley’s backing band, for which she earned the affectionate — and appropriate — nickname Lady Bo